Thursday, July 22, 2021

Muni Metro Debuts New International Wayfinding Standards

Muni Metro Debuts New International Wayfinding Standards
By Mariana Maguire

Photo of subway station fare gates with new overhead wayfinding signs depicting east, west directions and destinations for trains, and modes of accessing the platform such as elevators, stairs and escalators

New subway signage showing new directional wayfinding and accessible exists. 

When the Muni Metro subway reopened on May 15, 2021, customers noticed some changes at the Castro and Church stations: new overhead wayfinding signage more clearly identifying station exits and indicating where those exits lead, and new cardinal (north, south, east, west) directions, which now indicate where trains are headed instead of the former “inbound/outbound” directions.  

These stations – along with Powell Station, which will be updated soon – are part of the Metro Enhancement Project to improve the customer experience by providing better travel information, clearer wayfinding, cleaner stations and safety improvements. Treatments depend on the station, but enhancement elements include paint, lighting and accessibility improvements. The project began with the Castro and Church stations because those are easier to update than the shared BART stations. Powell is next in line in preparation for the opening of Central Subway. Looking forward, the aim is to improve all Muni Metro stations once additional funding can be identified. 

Customers may also see cardinal directions on digital signs in other subway stations. This is a separate effort that is part of Muni Customer Service upgrades. 

The Need for Change 

When the Muni Metro subway system was built in the 1980s, all rail routes funneled downtown along Market Street, making the “inbound” (generally towards downtown) and “outbound” (generally away from downtown) directions easy to navigate. In 2006, when the T Third Muni Metro line combined with the K Ingleside, the new combined route traveled into downtown from two different directions, making Muni Metro’s traditional “inbound/outbound” orientations less effective. 

In 2012, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) – the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area – adopted regional transit wayfinding guidelines and standards, and the SFMTA began working with other transportation agencies on a long-term plan for regional wayfinding integration and standardization, so that customers can navigate different systems in similar ways using route end destinations (last stops), station exit signage and accessibility information. 

The development of Central Subway also pushed SFMTA to think critically about wayfinding and directional improvements to the Muni subway system, including the use of cardinal directions (north, south, east, west). Once the Central Subway is complete, the T Third Street route will realign to run north-south between two major job, population and commercial activity centers within the city, calling into question the concept of what is “inbound” and what is “outbound.” 

For San Franciscans who are accustomed to Muni, wayfinding may not pose much of a challenge. The inbound/outbound directions may even hold a nostalgic charm, including for this author, having grown up in the Sunset District riding the N Judah. 

But with the growth of Muni and other regional transit systems, it’s important to make navigating the Muni Metro subway more efficient and effective with proven best practices for wayfinding, route directions and accessibility. 

Next Steps 

There are still many steps to fully update the Muni Metro subway that tie together with SFMTA’s new, soon-to-be-rolled-out Muni Customer Information System, long-term Metro map and permanent signage updates and more. The SFMTA also needs support to identify additional funding to continue implementing this project in all Metro stations. 

Tell us what you think about SFMTA’s efforts to update and upgrade our wayfinding to regional and international standards, and let us know if you support the completion of these efforts throughout the Muni Metro system. Write to TellMuni@SFMTA.com with the subject “Metro wayfinding enhancements.” 



Published July 23, 2021 at 05:59AM
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Wednesday, July 21, 2021

South Van Ness and Mission Intersection Closure August 4-9

South Van Ness and Mission Intersection Closure August 4-9
By John Gravener

With the recent completion of the new red transit lanes along Van Ness Avenue, the Van Ness Improvement Project is now focused on its upcoming Mission Street closure as the project works to complete construction later this year. 

The major intersection closure, scheduled for August 4-9, is planned to reduce the duration of the work there. By closing the full intersection for five days, the team can complete work in the intersection that would normally require two months of work completed one segment at a time. The goal is to minimize inconvenience for the public.

Map of Van Ness Avenue and Mission Street intersection showing detours and street closures. Streets closed to traffic include South Van Ness Avenue south of Market, Mission Street one block west of 11th Street, 12th Street north of Howard, South Van Ness north of Highway 101, Highway 101/Mission Street highway exit, and 12th Street south of Market will all be closed to traffic. Detour streets include Howard Street, Folsom Street, 10th Street, 9th Street, 13th Street, Duboce Avenue, Gough Street, Franklin Street, Fell Street, Hayes Street and Grove Street can all help you avoid the closed intersection.Map of Van Ness Avenue and Mission Street intersection with reroutes.

Once the construction during the intersection closure has been completed, there will be just a few more milestones left for the Van Ness Improvement Project before construction wraps up later this year. New overhead powerlines for transit lines will be installed. Additionally, crews will begin installing landscaping and irrigation systems, as well as pedestrian bulb-outs on sidewalks to aid in safer crossings for people walking.  

The project website details the available reroutes and provides additional information for motorists. While pedestrian access will be maintained at all times, people walking should consider bypassing the area. Transit will be rerouted, with Muni and AC Transit bus stops relocated and highly visible signage posted. Muni Metro and BART service will not be affected.

Once construction is complete, San Francisco’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, a much needed and globally proven solution to improve transit service and address traffic congestion on Van Ness, is expected to begin operation in early 2022.   

In addition to the building of the BRT, the multi-agency Van Ness Improvement Project has also included the replacement of 1800s-era water main to better withstand a major earthquake, new streetlights that are more power-efficient and brighter, installation of the overhead contact system that provides 100% emissions-free hydroelectric power from Hetch Hetchy—the city's municipal power source—to power the buses, new landscape to beautify the corridor, and new pavement on Van Ness for smoother travel and sidewalk extensions for a safer experience for people walking. Completion of the project is in sight, with construction projected to finish by the end of the year.

The August 4-9 closure will impact people driving, biking, taking transit and walking in SoMa, Tenderloin, Civic Center, Hayes Valley, Downtown and Inner Mission. The South Van Ness and Mission Street intersection will be closed at all times, as well as the roads leading to the intersection. People who travel in the area are encouraged to “Scout Your Route” before the shutdown and plan their travel accordingly.

Thank you to all the residents and travelers who have remained patient through the traffic reroutes, dust and noise! We appreciate your support and are excited to welcome you on to the new BRT in early 2022. 



Published July 22, 2021 at 09:32AM
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Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Going Back to School with Muni

Going Back to School with Muni
By Shalon Rogers

Students board at transit boarding island on 22 Fillmore route near Marina Middle School

Schools are returning to in-person instruction in August. If you have school-aged children at home, then you likely have a back-to-school checklist that includes reliable, efficient transportation. 

Many parents and guardians rely heavily on Muni to get their children to and from school which is why households will see Muni service restoration continue in August, so that 98% of San Francisco residents will be within two to three blocks of a Muni stop by the start of the new school year.  

To help take the guesswork out of what bus your child can take to school, the SFMTA has put together a list of Muni routes that serve SFUSD schools. This resource shows the closest transit options for all San Francisco public elementary, middle and high schools. 

With additional lines returning in August, including the 18 46th Avenue35 Eureka36 Teresita and 56 Rutland, you can rest assured that at least one or more Muni lines will provide transportation to the area of your child’s school.  

Before hitting the road to school though, it’s important for families to know that some of Muni’s routes have been modified. For example, beginning in August, the returning 52 Excelsior and 66 Quintara will both provide service for route segments of the 6 Parnassus, and the returning 23 Monterey will terminate at West Portal station and no longer serve Sloat Boulevard as the new 58 Lake Merced (the new route page will be added to our website soon!) route will now cover Sloat.  

Map showing 57 Parkmerced service between Eucalyptus Drive & Junipero Serra Boulevard and Daly City BART Station, providing direct connections from Stonestown and Parkmerced to BART and KT Ingleside-Third Street and the new 58 Lake Merced route along John Muir Drive

Route map showing the new routing for the 57 Parkmerced and the 58 Lake Merced. 

Some Muni school trippers will also return in August. School trippers are extra buses on existing routes that meet students after school at some of the city’s largest middle and high schools. They begin their route near a school site to help prevent crowding and pass ups on busy Muni lines after school, and then continue along their regular route. Schools served by a school tripper can be found on the Muni Routes to City Schools page. 

Once you’ve mapped out the best route to school, you’ll want to know the fare. And we have great news! Beginning August 15—the day before the first day of school--SFMTA’s Free Muni for Youth program will extend to all children under the age of 19. While no proof of age or Clipper Card is required for buses and trains, if your child is planning to ride the cable cars when they reopen later this year, make sure they have applied for that option.  

If riding prior to August 15th, you’ll want to make sure that your child’s Clipper card is full. Cash is always accepted as fare payment when boarding a bus, but by using a Clipper card, the single ride fare for youth will only be $1.25 versus $1.50 if using cash. Additionally, if you use an iPhone, you can now add the Clipper Card to your Apple Wallet.  

Though physical distancing requirements between passengers on Muni have ended, we do require passengers to maintain 6 feet of distance from the operator. Federal law requires properly worn masks while riding transit and at Muni facilities, regardless of vaccination status. You’ll want to make sure that a mask is packed in backpacks and remind your child that masks are required while riding Muni, with limited exceptions.  

With transportation to school now crossed off your checklist, enjoy the remaining days of summer with your kids. Ride the N Judah or KT Ingleside-Third to the ballpark for a Giants game, or one of our eight – soon to be nine – routes to Golden Gate Park to visit the Academy of Sciences, or take a historic trip on the F Market & Wharves. However you spend the remaining days of summer, know that Muni will help  get you and your family there. 

Map showing the Muni routes that serve Golden Gate Park (N, 5, 7, 28, 29, 33,43, 44), the 18 line resuming service in fall 2021 and the location of the Muni Equity Strategy neighborhoods (Bayview, Chinatown, Mission, Oceanview/Ingleside, Outer Mission/Excelsior, SoMa, Tenderloin, Western Addition).

Map showing city-wide Muni routes to Golden Gate Park. 



Published July 21, 2021 at 06:40AM
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